


Quiet

by Koschei_Oakdown



Category: Green Lantern - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2019-04-05 01:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14033625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Koschei_Oakdown/pseuds/Koschei_Oakdown
Summary: They're locked in a cell together >:)





	Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> Credit to DC Comics

All it took was a few hours for Hal to change his mind, hours spent huddled in his pitch black cell with nothing but loneliness to keep him company. Cold seeped into his skin, silence rang in his ears and darkness seemed to be closing in around him. His heart was beating very fast and his mouth was dry - not scared, never scared, he just wished Sinestro was back in there with him. Anything to interrupt the quiet.

Initially, back when Sinestro had been in the cell with him, Hal had wanted nothing more than to be rid of the enemy lantern, sick of their fighting, of the carelessly thrown accusations of whose fault this was when they should have been trying to escape. Now, however, he'd give anything to be insulted, if it meant he didn't have to be trapped alone any longer. Why Sinestro had volunteered to be the one interrogated Hal didn't know, but he was strongly wishing they could swap places.

Just as he had the thought, the door slammed open, blinding him temporarily with bright light. He hear a thud as something impacted the ground and the following pained grunt told him that it was Sinestro who had just been thrown into the cell. Trying to catch a glimpse of their captors, Hal squinted against the almost painful light, but the door snapped shut before he could, leaving him again in darkness. At least, this time, he wasn't alone.

Forgetting his momentary disorientation, Hal crawled across the ground towards Sinestro, who he could just barely make out as a dark shape. "Sinestro?" he asked, and winced at the tightness in his own voice. He wasn't worried, he didn't care,but when he got no answer, only the ominous silence, Hal could feel his already rapidly beating heart pick up speed. Hesitant, he reached out and his fingers came in contact with the distinct structure of Sinestro's shoulder, but he felt no movement. "Sinestro!" he repeated, louder this time, and shook the man's shoulder.

To Hal's relief, though he quickly shoved it down, Sinestro moved under his fingers as though to sit up and, still unable to see very clearly, Hal blinked several times. It worked by a fraction, and he saw Sinestro suck in a pained breath before dropping back to the ground with a flinch. For a moment, Hal didn't move, but then he sighed and pulled Sinestro's head into his lap, providing some measure of protection against the hard floor of the cell. After all, the man had saved him from hours of clearly unpleasant interrogation, it was the least he could do. "Why did you do that?" Hal asked now, examining Sinestro for visible injuries as best he could in the terrible light. "Did you tell them anything?"

When Sinestro tried to answer, all that came out was a rasping cough, lungs heaving in his chest. The sound was painfully unhealthy and Hal hesitated, unsure if he could do anything to help. Fortunately, it was over before it had really started and Sinestro managed to say, "Of course not. I know what I'm doing." Again, he tried to sit up, mouth set in a determined line but Hal shoved him back down, eyes narrowed. He hadn't missed the arrogant dismissal and he would not let Sinestro avoid the subject. Especially if the alien was scheming.

"Oh, really?" Hal demanded, temper flaring. "If you'd managed to shove down your ego for just a few seconds, you might have noticed there was no need for you to do any of that. This is my responsibility -"

"If you are about to tell me that the unpleasantness I have just suffered was worthless -" Sinestro argued, with just as much fire even in his weakened state.

"That is not what I'm saying!" Hal took a deep breath, reminding himself that he didn't need to get so worked up and Sinestro waited, probably expecting a reveal as to what was really going to be said. The problem was, Hal didn't know. He didn't know why Sinestro was being so difficult, he didn't know why he himself couldn't just let it go - or maybe he did. Maybe he didn't want to know. "Next time, they can interrogate me," Hal stated firmly, nodding his own agreement at the idea. That way, he wouldn't be alone in the dark and Sinestro wouldn't be getting hurt - not that it mattered. It was just the humane thing to do.

"Hardly a suitable arrangement," Sinestro disagreed, and Hal glanced down at him, brow furrowed. Why wasn't the alien pleased he wouldn't have to suffer anymore? Then again, he had volunteered the first time around. Hal wasn't sure if he should rule out evil plan in the making quite yet. "If we are both injured, our chance at a successful escape will be lowered." By that reasoning, Hal's chance for escape would be greater than Sinestro's which made this plan make no sense whatsoever. What advantage could Sinestro possibly gain from being in a weaker state than Hal? None that Hal could see.

Asking outright would get him nowhere, he'd already tried, but Hal couldn't work out what Sinestro was playing at. If Hal had been the one to be interrogated, if he'd been the one in no state for escaping, then Sinestro probably would have left without him and it couldn't be blamed. At least one of them needed to get the information back to the good guys. So Hal would be left behind, he'd be alone until - and it finally clicked. "You don't think the Green Lantern Corps will come for me," Hal realised, his eyes wide.

There was a moment of silence and Hal used the time to connect the last remaining pieces, understanding now what Sinestro was thinking. Except why the other man even cared, that was a mystery.

"I know they will not," Sinestro confirmed, and Hal's attention was drawn back to him. The man wasn't looking at him, his eyes fixed on the ceiling as though able to see the rock. He probably could, with his alien senses and all that, Hal wasn't sure. "Not by choice, perhaps, for I know your fellow lanterns do like you, against all logic." At that, Hal had to smile, just a little. "But their masters will prevent it." The smile faded again, Hal had no arguments. "My Corps, on the other hand, are well aware I will slaughter every one of them if they dare abandon me to my fate. I have to have a better chance than you do if I am the one to stay."

"Or we could just escape together," Hal suggested, not liking where this plan was going. Was Sinestro deliberately being unnecessarily dramatic?

"And decrease the chances of success significantly," Sinestro stated coolly. "I already have your escape planned out and you will follow it or -" Apparently, getting his bossy tone on was too much and he broke into a weak cough, eyes squeezing shut. Again, Hal wasn't sure what to do so he just waited until it was over, and Sinestro managed to drag himself up onto his knees. Hands grasped Hal's shoulders, fingernails digging in and the human winced. "Or you will render my work - our work pointless," Sinestro finished, as though nothing had happened, his eyes glittering fiercely. "Do you understand me?"

With Sinestro so close, it was suddenly a lot harder to think, like Hal's brain was full of cotton. He blinked and swallowed. "I - I'm not leaving you here," Hal argued. "Don't be stupid." They might've had their arguments, Hal might curse Sinestro into oblivion on a daily basis, but the alien was still a person. Being left alone in this place was awful, Hal had personal experience in the matter, and he wouldn't wish it on his greatest enemy. Was it really that simple though? Was Hal arguing this in his desire to see no death, no pain, not for anyone? Or was it because it was Sinestro? Was it because he couldn't think of any reason for Sinestro to be doing this other than that the man actually cared about his life? Cared about not leaving him alone? Hal couldn't help but want that very, very much.

"This is no time to be a hero," Sinestro snapped. "You will leave, and you will pass the information onto your Corps. There is no other way." Hal wasn't paying as much attention as he should have been, focused on considering his latest theory, and Sinestro noticed, he always noticed. Yellow eyes narrowed. "Are you even listening to me, Jordan?"

Drawn from his thoughts, Hal started and blinked up at the other man. "Huh?" he asked, confused and searching back through the vaguely heard words for what he should be responding to. "No…" That had, apparently, been the wrong answer for Sinestro's eyebrows came down like thunderclouds. "Yes," Hal was quick to amend, smiling innocent. "Definitely, to whatever you just said. I'm sure it was very clever." Even if Sinestro did care, which was impossible and Hal should stop deluding himself, it didn't matter. Hal didn't care. So why was getting an answer important?

Shaking his head, Hal bit his lip and focused his attention back on Sinestro again, just in time to catch the lightning fast movement as the alien's eyes snapped up too, as though they'd never been looking anywhere else. This time, it was Hal who narrowed his eyes and before he could think better of it, he asked, "You're lying, aren't you? Because, and feel free to correct me on this, I'm pretty sure who gets that information out isn't going to make a difference. You'd much rather get this done yourself, make sure I don't mess it up. You know, like I do."

There it was, the flicker of uncertainty, the momentary loss of assurity, and Sinestro was vulnerable for the briefest of moments. It was enough for Hal, he needed no confirmation for while he'd been an idiot for far too long, he did know Sinestro, knew every one of the alien's minute expressions like it was a language only they could speak. He smiled, pleased with his own success, but then he remembered why it didn't matter and his face fell. So what if Sinestro didn't immediately want him dead? It was probably leading up to an evil plan where the alien tried to get Hal to take over the universe with him.

"OK," Hal agreed, and Sinestro's gaze hardened to steel, as though there had never been any doubt. "OK, I'll follow your plan. On the condition of no killing, of course. Or anything else I disagree with." Cautious, likely not quite believing it had been that easy, Sinestro nodded. "And I'm going to need you to be nice to me," Hal added, wondering how far he could take this. "For confidence boost, you know."

One of Sinestro's dark eyebrows arched up and Hal grinned. His grin widened when Sinestro raised his eyes to the ceiling and reluctantly muttered, "You are… not the last person I'd want to be stuck here with, Jordan."

"Neither are you, Sin," Hal replied and patted the man on the shoulder. Then he brushed a loose strand of hair from Sinestro's cheek but didn't lower his hand after, letting it rest there, as though he'd forgotten to pull away. He hadn't.


End file.
